Circa 1850 3'7" x 2' / 110cm x 60cm

A very finely woven chuval showing an unusual box border and a particularly delicate field drawing. Very attractive soft handle
with especially glossy woollen warps.

Low pile and some damage to the sides, now secured.

Assymetrically knotted open right, ivory woollen warp, light brown woollen weft

First Half Nineteenth Century 3'5" x 1'9" / 105cm x 53cm

This chuval has a particularly archaic feeling to it, with nice space in the field and relatively simple, empty drawing to the guls.
The 'Bat Border' is nicely rendered and there is an above average use of teal throughout and also small highlights of yellow
in the secondary guls. The drawing is improved through the use of shared knotting techniques.

Low pile, some foundation showing, slight discolouration and losses to edges, now secured.

Symmetrically knotted with a bias to the left, ivory woollen warp and dark brown wefts.

First Half Nineteenth Century 3'8" x 2'1" / 113cm x 63cm

The Chodor pallete is more often than not rather light but here we have the dark, rich complexion that works so well, with a bottle
green and yellow used plentifully.

Small faded reweave, missing side cords and overbound on all four sides otherwise in good original pile.

Assymetrically knotted open right, woollen warp, weft one shoot white cotton, one shoot dark brown wool.

Circa 1850 4'4" x 5'9" / 133cm x 175cm

This is the first of three examples in this catalogue, of a Yomud ensi with a light blue 'Skirt' or 'Elem' filled with trees. A colourful
piece with a pliable, soft handle and very good wool. An abrash in the ivory causes the middle part of the rug to 'pop' attractively
and the balance of colours is well rounded, with even a stripe of aubergine abrashed into the lower middle background. Details of
Lac also used.

Low to good pile, original sidecord has been mostly re-wrapped, original kilim end at the top, bottom secured, no other restoration.

Symmetrically knotted bias to the right, light brown woollen warp, dark brown woollen weft.

Second Half Nineteenth Century 3'9" x 5'5" / 115cm x 165cm

This Tekke rug has been woven as finely as a 'Six Gul' and so it must have invloved a great deal of time and energy to create. Also
a great deal of thought seems to have gone into the colour as there are many nuanced shades of cherry and brick red used in the
ground and abundant use of bottle green in the guls. The lattice connecting the guls is something we more normally see in Main
carpets and certainly in the older weavings.

In outstanding full pile with only very light insect damage.

Assymetrically knotted open right, ivory wool warp, mid brown woollen weft.

Circa 1850 5'3" x 3'4" / 160cm x 103cm

A simply great example of a standard type. The clear red ground is rich and saturated, the glossy soft wool magnifies the colour.
Clear strong yellow and an unfaded green.

Low to mid pile height with minor re-piling and some minor work to the side cords.

Assymetrically knotted open right. Grey/brown goat hair warp, similar weft.

Circa 1850 3'6" x 2'7" / 108cm x 78cm

Shimmering wool and super soft handle defines this chuval, with a rich aubergine ground. Unusual 'Box and Flower' border.

Damage to sides, now secured, low to good pile.

Assymetrically knotted open right. Light grey/beige goat hair warp and dark brown woollen weft.

Circa 1850 4'3" x 5'4" / 125cm x 163cm

This is the second Yomud ensi from the light blue 'Skirt' group in this catalogue. Finely woven for a Yomud and with very good
wool.

In good overal pile, sides trimmed and re-overbound and one re-weave in the 'skirt'.

Symmetrically knotted, bias to the left. Ivory woollen warp, dark brown woollen weft.

First Half Nineteenth Century, 9" x 17" / 23cm x 43cm

I presume this very beautiful green field weaving is a fragment of an Okbash that has been re-cycled into some kind of utility bag-
possibly for spoons..? I have not been able to locate any examples of other green field Turkoman weavings and this little bag remains
one of my favourite finds.

In good overall pile, tassles and side cords are a later addition.

Assymetrically knotted open right, warp unknown, weft dark brown wool.

Circa 1800 or earlier 4'5" wide x 4'1" tall / 135cm x 125cm.

Any kind of Salor weaving in near mint condition is always going to be extremely rare but a Kapunuk is the rarest form known,
even more so than the cherished Ensi, with less than ten documented examples worldwide.

Very finely woven with full pile allover, this was clearly made as a special piece and treated as such. Retains most of its original
silk and metal thread tassles.

Assmetrically knotted open right, wool and silk pile, red woollen weft and ivory woollen warp.

Circa 1880 2'10" x 1'5" / 85cm x 43cm

A not so uncommon weaving but with a particularly attractive mid blue border and a good sparkle to the wool. Slightly
larger than usual diagonal rows of the 'Erre' gul with additional arrowhead forms and a nice mahogany ground colour.

In excellent condition but missing its kilim back.

Symmetrically knotted, ivory woollen warp, part brown wool and part cotton weft.

First Half Nineteenth Century 3'9" x 1'4" / 115cm x 40cm

Six guls can be very stiff looking affairs but this lovely example is definitely more on the loose side. The top row
of guls is taller than the bottom row which lends a little relief and the bottom row also differs by having an additional
set of blue hooks on each side of the gul. All of the guls have double-horned animal heads and are joined to their lower neighbour
by a blue line reminiscient of the grid used in main carpets, but they are not similarly connected to their horizontal neighbours.

Beautiful orange-red and teal, excellent patina.

Overall good condition, one area of low pile, one small hole, slight damage to sides, slight insect damage.

Assymetrically knotted open right, ivory woollen warp and brown woollen weft.

First Half Nineteenth Century 3'9" x 1'6" / 115cm x 45cm

A rather naive interpretation of the 'Ikat' design, this is another favourite of mine. Very lustrous pile with strong clear reds,
yellows and greens.

Pile is low in parts, mostly high, with some damage to the sides.

Wool and cotton pile, assymetrically knotted open right, brown goat hair warp, brown woollen weft.

Second Half Nineteenth Century 4'8" x 1'9"/ 145cm x 53cm

This large torba is finely woven and has an additional outer border of flowering plant-forms. Within the guls are single-horned animal
heads. Good strong colour with a rich red and plenty of green, as well as touches of Lac and yellow. Excellent patina.

In excellent condition with high pile allover, very minor re-piling to insect damage in the bottom outer border and slight damage to
the two upper corners. Slight glue residue on backside, missing kilim back.

Assymetrically knotted with brown woollen weft and ivory woollen warp.

First Half Nineteenth Century 3'2" x 5'3"

Somewhat distressed, this little prayer rug has an eary feel to it despite, or perhaps because of, the rather crude weave. The ivory
field is covered with an elaborately branching tree, bearing pendant fruit which must be pomegranates. As is often the case with
Beshir prayer rugs, there is more than one niche. One is formed by the shape in the middle of the field that rises from the lower border
and the second descends from the upper border.

Worn, with crudely restored holes, low to medium pie, missing guard border top and bottom and no original selvedge.

Assymetrically knotted open right, dark brown goat hair warp, light brown woollen weft.

Circa 1850 4'6" x 5'8" / 138cm x 175cm

The enlarged, bold design used in the 'Skirt' of this attractive ensi is immediately apparent. The break in the left-hand inner
guard border, the use of stars as the inner element of the main border- some with small flowers at the points, some without,
and the introduction of two small 'Prayer niches' are all noteworthy features but particularly attractive is the long lustrous pile,
dyed in rich earthy tones of brick red, mid blue, apricot, green and touches of clear yellow.

The condition is generally excellent with one crude repair centre field and a small mark below and to the right. Original goat hair
wrapped selvedges-missing in places-, original kilim and brocade at the top, kilim end at bottom beginning to fray in one corner.

Assymetrically knotted open right, grey/brown woollen warp and weft.

Second Half Nineteenth Century 2'5" x 1'3" / 70cm x 38cm

Small examples of Beshir weavings with the so-called 'Serpent' design seem to be more unusual. This one has the full range of
colours including two greens, two blues and some yellow. There is also some undyed brown wool pile that is standing a little
proud.

In excellent pile but missing most of the upper border and losses to the other three sides, now secured.

Assymetrically knotted open right, goat hair warp, pink/red woollen weft.

Second Half Nineteenth Century 4' x 2'5" / 124cm x 70cm

Shared knotting allows for greater flexibility in the drawing and it shows in the very circular shapes formed in the negative
space around the guls.

Low to medium pile, some minor old faded repiling, missing side cords, now secured.

Symmetrically knotted, ivory woollen warps, mixed cotton and brown woollen weft.

18th Century or earlier 1'10" x 7'8" / 55cm x 235cm

The relative size of the inner and outer guard border and the fluid movement of the main border indicate an early date, as does
the range and type of colour. The guls are tall and round, are relatively simple and vary slightly from row to row.

Low to middle pile, foundation exposed in places, patched, discolouration. All four sides secured.

Symmetrically knotted, shared warp, beige woollen warp and weft.

Second Half Nineteenth Century 5'4" x 1'11" / 163cm x 58cm

An outstanding example of the Turkoman aesthetic, this trapping has an exceptional balance of a strong orange/red, a grass
green border, three distinct blues, a clear strong apricot and highlights of a yolky yellow. Corroded white cotton picks out
the outline of the main medallion which in turn is surrounded and almost cocooned by an undyed brown wool. Incredibly
glossy wool causes a dramatic change of colour depending from which angle it is viewed.

In near mint condition, full high pile everywhere.

Assymetrically knotted open left, beige woollen warp and weft.

Circa 1850 4'9" x 2'11" / 145cm x 90cm

An unusually large large and crisp Asmalyk with some interesting features. The three wonderfully delicate floral motifs that protrude
into the field on either side are unusual not only for their presence but that they are also at odds with the generally stiff and formal
look of the trapping. Likewise, two of the 'trees' are drawn not only with tops, but these tops differ again, one very delicately drawn
and the other somewhat simpler. The presence of a human figure on the left side has not, as far as I know, been previously recorded.

In excellent overall condition with some minor moth bites, kilim ends.

Symmetrically knotted, slight depression to warp, shared warp knotting, ivory woollen warp, grey/brown weft.

Circa 1850 4'6" x 2'11" / 138cm x 90cm

The design derived from 'Ikat' work is very effective visually and is here nicely executed. The ivory details jump out and the repeat
the plant motif from the skirt in the centre of the guls is quite unusual.

Good condition with even low to mid pile, both sides trimmed a little, original kilim remnants top and bottom.

Assymetrically knotted open right, grey/brwon woollen warp and weft.

Second Half Nineteenth Century 4'5" x 5'8" / 135cm x 173cm

Possibly the prettiest of the three from this group published here but maybe also the youngest. The weave has a certain
heaviness that to me suggests a slightly date. However, the deep aubergine ground colour and the 'Bat' border are very
attractive features.

Pile height mostly very good, one side is trimmed, three or four small holes have been rewoven, losses to both ends, now
secured.

Symmetrically knotted, ivory woollen warp, brown woollen weft.

Circa 1850 2'3" x 1'3" / 68cm x 38cm

Despite the insect damage to the pile, the design remains crisply drawn. The animal heads that extrude from the trees have
been clearly defined as such by the appearance of double horns. Details of yellow appear but only in the main border.

Fairly heavy insect damage, otherwise good pile height, original sides and kilim back present.

Assymetrically knotted open right, grey goat hair warp, brown woollen weft.

First Half Nineteenth Century 2'7" x 2'4" / 78cm x 70cm

Outstanding wool defines this small fragment, with a curious allover multi-coloured 'Snowflake' design on an undyed
brown field, which started as a red field but then changed.

Pile height very low to very good, patched, original sidecords and some brocaded end finish.

Assymetrically knotted open right, abrashed light brown/ivory goat hair warp, dark brown woollen weft

Circa 1850 4'9" x 3'2" / 145cm x 97cm

Three main motifs are surrounded by zig-zag bands in the ikat style. This example has some extra field designs floating around the
top two motifs.

Good pile, slightly low near the top, sides trimmed and re-selvedged, small reweave bottom left corner, ends secured.

Assymetrically knottted open right, light brown woollen warp and weft.

Circa 1860 6'4" x 8' / 195cm x 245cm


This Tekke main carpet has the 5 x 10 gul arrangement and the Gurbahge gul as secondary. The simple border of sunburst octogons
with cruciform star interiors is quite unusual. Deep pile lends a rich character to the typical Tekke colour.

Good velvety pile allover, some old faded reweaves, original selvedges restored in places, missing lower kilim end.

Asymmetrically knotted open right, ivory woollen warp, light brown woollen weft.

Pre 1850 6'3" x 8'4" / 192cm x 255cm

The second Tekke Main with the Gurbahge secondary gul has a 4 x 11 gul arrangement and some more serious problems.
However, I chose this piece for its intense colour, particularly the light blue, used lavishly throughout.

Mostly low pile with some medium pile, sewn up slits, cloth patches affixed with glue, faded old reweaves,
original sidecords partially present, all four sides secured.

2nd Half Nineteenth Century 4'7" x 5'10" / 140cm x 180cm

This ensi is in outstanding condition with original kilim end finishes, selvedges and high pile allover. There are old curtain rings
still sewn on to the back which would suggest the piece has been hanging, albeit upside down.

Symmetrically knotted, light grey/brown woollen warp, dark brown woollen weft.

Pre 1850 1'4" x 3'9" / 40cm x 115cm

The Chemche gul is strongly and beautifully depicted in a petrol blue colour in this extremely finely woven 6 gul. These decorative
tent bags are known for their strong, clear and generously drawn motifs and also for their texture with thick silky wool of great lustre.
This one is no exception.

In excellent pile, some losses to edges.

Assymetrically knotted open right, ivory woollen warp, dark brown woollen weft.